He Who Walks In The Dark
by Dave Johnson -Dav Strife
Summary: OneShot. The Dark Wizard Orachron is not all that bad and his part in the destiny of the Balance is yet to come...


**Authors Notes: **After talking to a few people I think its time I began to get the whole balance thing worked out for my OC so I wrote this as a result. The Dark Wizard Orachron has not been that involved with Dav and the events of my fics so this may shine abit of light on him. The world they are on is Tracton again which may seem like a random world but it is pretty important to the plot of future fics so I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: As much as I would like too I do not own Ashura, Zen, Zalak and Orachron, they are property of MAS and Dark respectively. The world of Tracton, Dav Strife and the whole Balance story line belongs to me and KH belongs to Square Enix and Disney so no lawsuits please!

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**He Who Walks In The Dark**

**By Dav Strife**

"It seems a little bit too quiet for my liking. There must be someone around here somewhere…" Ashura mused to himself as he glanced around the Big Top he was currently stood in.

"Well… how about something?" Tidus asked his ally nervously while watching a skeleton clad in a black robe hobble around aimlessly.

"I thought Strife and I took care of all of them… There is never only one of them… Be on your guard"

"No need, the smashing sound has already started…" Tidus informed Ashura as he stared at the top of the large circus tent.

No sooner had Tidus spoke the sounds of shattered glass echoed all around the two fighters and several of the demons jumped through invisible portals and surrounded Ashura and Tidus. Tidus drew his sword and faced off against three while Ashura took on five of the demons by himself. Tidus swung his sword in an arc that shattered the first demon's ribcage and cut off an arm off the second. Jumping in the air he then brought his sword down on the third's head which cracked under the force of the shimmering blade and the demon then crumbled away into sand. The armless demon ran toward Tidus as best as it could but it was dispatched with a quick sword stroke to the skull. Ashura meanwhile had already dispatched three with his martial arts skills and then used his shotguns butt to crack the skull of another. One shell tore away the fifth's body, leaving it to crumble into sand like the second. Tidus replaced his sword into its resting place on his back and then turned to Ashura who as always was straightening the Gauntlet on his right hand.

"Any ideas why they attacked randomly?"

"Yes, there is someone here they were supposed to kill. We simply got in the way. I suggest we find this individual and offer our services… for a price of course…"

"You think Dav will approve?"

"He is not here… and besides, it was his idea that we become Mercenaries anyway"

"Yeah, he isn't in charge anyway… is anyone?"

"Not really, its better this way. Now about that individual…"

A8A

The animal cages that were supposed to house the animals for the performances were stacked to the walls of a make shift room some being open and others still bolted shut. Among the rubbish and debris that was cluttering the floor of the holding room stood a certain dark wizard…

"Hmph… you cannot hide forever… Show yourself demon!" Orachron shouted, swiping a cage in half with his deadly Heartless Blade. "I sense you are here, there is no point hiding from the darkness… Arise Heartless!"

At Orachron's command a dark patch appeared under the trash that laid on the floor and sucked everything into oblivion. Forms began to rise from the shadowy patch and Solider Heartless emerged ready to receive Orachron's command.

"Find the demon! I want that Amulet back! In the hands of that foul creature it could be deadly"

"Who are you calling foul?" came an angry voice from on top of a stack of crates.

"There you are, I should never have worked with you in the first place you filthy demon!"

"Hey hey hey, enough of the demon slander you decrepit book worm!"

"Enough of this, Heartless attack!"

"Oh boy, got to go!"

Zalak jumped off the stack of crates and ran through the door with Soldier Heartless pursuing him out into the night air. Zalak turned around to face his pursuers and then charged forward and punched straight through two of them. Orachron appeared through a dark portal and found Zalak stood alone with all his Heartless slaughtered. He raised his arm and three Defender's appeared in a flash of dark light that then advanced on Zalak. Ashura and Tidus both ran out from the big tent and came to a stop just short of where Orachron was standing.

"Ah, the Balance's friends, are the rumours true that you are Mercenaries?" Orachron questioned as Zalak took down one of the Defenders.

"We are but why do you ask?" Ashura asked while watching the dark wizard carefully.

"I wish to acquire your services as of this minute, lets say… 200,000 munny?"

"What? For three minutes work? Sure what do we do?"

"The demon there is in procession of an amulet that he stole, it contains dark power that I wish to seal away forever"

"Fine, we'll take care of him" Ashura confirmed as Zalak stared at the two in disbelief.

"Traitors! What would Davey-chan say about this?"

"He'd say its their lives, I can't stop them from doing anything!" came a new voice.

"Dav is on the phone, if you wondered. He is on his way right now… but he never said why. Anyway hand over the amulet of power demon" Ashura threatened while tightening his Gauntlet ready for action.

"Nope, it's mine"

"I didn't say you had a choice, lets go!"

Ashura charged at Zalak with fist raised ready to strike at the demon. Zalak blocked the attack and launched his own at Ashura's face who countered by blocking with his armguard. Punch after punch was exchanged between the two but neither one wanted to let up in the fight. Zalak pulled his hand back and then sent a wave of dark energy flying at Ashura who raised his arms to his face to protect himself. Tidus skidded in front of the melee fighter and cut through the dark energy which dissipated as it came into contact with the blade. Zalak knocked Tidus away with a punch but Ashura jumped into the air and planted a kick into Zalak's face which launched him backwards.

Orachron simply watched the fight with interest until he noticed the amulet he desired was lying on the floor where Zalak had fell. He rushed over to where it fell but another reached it first. Dav was stood with the amulet in one hand and his sword in the other.

"Sorry dark wizard, nothing personal but my client wants this and he's going to get it"

"Who has hired you?" Tidus asked surprised.

"King Mickey of course… he wants this thing destroyed"

"I cannot allow that to happen, we shall duel for the amulet!" Orachron announced while grasping the hilt of his Heartless Blade.

"What about me?" Zalak whined from where the fight had stopped a few seconds ago.

"You two keep him busy until our business is concluded"

Ashura and Tidus simply nodded and turned back round to face Zalak who was growing agitated. Orachron held his Heartless Blade out with one arm, the other resting against his side.

"Quite a dignified pose for an insane man of the dark like you" Dav said chuckling.

"Silence. I still have my honour as a warrior as should you. Especially since are an important factor between the light and dark"

"I should but hey, I'm still a kid at the end of the day so gotta have some fun... anyway lets get on with this right now"

"Agreed, prepare to defend yourself!"

Orachron swept forward at tremendous speed and swung the long blade at Dav's head which he had to drop to the floor to avoid. The Dark Wizard then swiped down at Dav who rolled to the side and sprang up with sword in hand. He swiped at Orachron's chest but he deflected it with a counter-swipe and then attempted to punch out at Dav's face. Jumping backwards Dav grabbed the grip of one of his guns and fired at Orachron who used lightning quick swipes to block every shot made. Dav dropped his gun to the floor and threw his sword at Orachron who stepped out of the way and then charged at the defenceless teen.

"Dav, try it my way like we practised!" Ashura yelled from across the battlefield.

Dav stood to oppose Orachron without a weapon in hand. He stood crouched down with one hand on the ground and the other to his side. Smiling darkly Orachron swung his Blade in a pendulum motion to skewer Dav but he rolled quickly to the side, broke into a small sprint while still close to the ground and brought his fist up in an uppercut which connected with Orachron's jaw. Dav then delivered a left hook, drove his right elbow into Orachron's left cheek and finished on a spinning punch that sent Orachron stumbling backwards. Dav then ran forward again (while his opponent was distracted) drove his knee into Orachron's chest and then joined his hands together and hit the Dark Wizard with a Double Axe Handle strike.

Faltering slightly the man of the dark shook his head and refocused on Dav who was now tensed up and ready for another round. Rather than attack his opponent again Orachron started to laugh quietly but the sheer surprise of the new combat tactics sent him into a loud and almost happy sounding laugh.

"Excellent Balance… you have been improving your skills greatly. Unarmed combat is a great thing to learn if you find yourself without your weapons but I prefer magic myself"

"… How the hell did you get so fast?" Dav asked loudly, almost demanding to be told.

"I have been holding back a portion of my power in the past as not to overshadow you and your skills but you are progressing greatly. Your friend has really come along as well. I sense you shall have a part in things to come yet, whether you choose to accept the light or embrace the dark inside of you is yet to be seen"

"I don't get you Orachron, you are supposed to be evil and a man of the darkest powers but look at you now. If you was that evil you would have slaughtered me and my friends by now… except during that tournament in the Colisuem where you impaled me and turned me evil…"

"It is all in grand scheme of things. You sampled what darkness has to offer but you have also experienced the overwhelming power of the light. Back when you were betrayed by your friends when they tried to kill Mr. Dragoon over there, do you remember?"

"………Yes… I do. All you have been doing is preparing me for the choice I will make in the future…"

"Partly… now back to the matters at hand, shall we?"

"You have been helping me all this time and here I am taking something as stupid as this amulet…"

"Are you reconsidering your course of action?"

Dav stared at Orachron with confusion in his eyes. After a minute the expression changed from that of a confused child to an expression of mischief.

"…Nope!" Dav said happily.

"I expected as much… despite all the hardships in your life you will never change Dav Strife, Balance Between Dark and Light…"

"Hey, can I get in on this little happy moment?" Zalak asked with a look of hope (which was obviously fake!)

"Are you still here demon?" Orachron questioned quite angrily.

"Yes! Now about the amulet…"

"… Would you like the honours?" Dav asked the Dark Wizard who suddenly developed a manic look on his face.

"Very well…"

"Can't we talk this over?" Zalak asked as Orachron glared at him.

Zalak pressed a button on his wrist band and a dark portal appeared behind him. As he jumped in Orachron nodded to the three friends and then disappeared into the portal after the demon.

"Hey, you know what?" Tidus asked Dav who was staring up at the sky bemused at what had just happened.

"Hm?" He replied absentmindedly.

"We never got paid…" He whined back which caused Dav to burst out laughing.

"What happened to that amulet?" Ashura asked the laughing blonde.

"It's right here around my neck, I'll hold onto to it for now"

Basically you are going to tell the king that you destroyed it and then sell it on the black market…" Ashura pointed out to Dav who again started to laugh.

"Am I that easy to figure out? I'll give to the king, I don't like the dark feel it gives out anyway…"

"Can we go home now, I'm hungry!" Tidus mocked whined who got a nod from Dav.

"Yeah, let's go home"

R + R if you liked it!


End file.
